


Artistic Freedom

by Qyrhan



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano is a Sibling to the Clones, Face Painting, Fives is a pain, Gen, Just Clones Being Bros, Let’s see how many times I can repeat the word “paint”, No Smut, Sibling Bonding, Torrent Company, not rexsoka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:08:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28402971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Qyrhan/pseuds/Qyrhan
Summary: The Clones of Torrent Company are busy repainting their armor, joking, and generally acting like kids. Of course, being unaware of their Togruta vod'ika entering the bunks means that trouble will no doubt unfurl.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a words for those who don't know it:
> 
> Su'cuy gar: A traditional Mandalorian greeting; lit "So you're still alive!"  
> Vod: "Brother, Sister, Comrade."  
> Vod'ika: "Little Brother, Little Sister."  
> Ad'ika: "Kid, Lad, Boy, Sweetie(Non-Romantic), Darling(Non-Romantic)."
> 
> Just in case any of you weren't aware of the meaning of some the the words the Clones were speaking.

Loud, energetic hollering erupted throughout the bunk rooms, Clones whooping and cheerfully yelling at one another. Their sounds of jubilation bounced off the bulkheads and out into the hallways of the _Resolute_. 

Fives laughed in glee as he rammed Echo to the ground, the fallen clone letting out a hoarse chuckle. "You suck at wrestling, vod!" Fives roared, a sly grin on his face as he playfully punched Echo on the shoulder. 

"Well," Echo voiced as he pushed himself back up to his feet, "you didn't exactly give me the chance to fight back." He rolled his shoulders back and stretched, his back popping. 

"Ooh," Fives grimaced at his brother, but a cheeky smile pulled at his lips, "that sounded nasty. You should go to Kix about that pop in your back." The response he received was a mere eye roll. Before Echo could grumble out his obvious annoyance at the joke, he was interrupted by a more commanding voice.

"Alright you two," the pair turned and sheepishly grinned at Rex, who was standing there with a few paint canisters in hand, "enough roughhousing, I don't need either of you making a mess of yourselves, or the floor." Rex shoved a can into Five's arms. "Torrent Company has seen quite the number of scuffles with the Seppies the past few weeks, our armor isn't looking as well painted as it used to."

Fives tapped the lid of the cannister he held, an inquisitive look on his face. "Repainting our armor, captain? Is it really that bad?"

Rex's lips thinned into a line as he lifted Echo's helmet, the blue designs that had normally been vibrant were now chipped, and faded. "What do you think?"

Echo winced, he hadn't realized how badly banged up his armor really was. "He's not wrong, Fives, it's pretty rough 'round the edges." He gingerly took his battered helmet from the captain, and grabbed another container of paint. Neither he, nor Fives even noticed how horribly damaged their paint jobs were, and it sort of made them feel bad. 

Fives narrowed his eyes, quietly inspecting Rex's paint job as he stroked his chin. A devilish grin spread across the Clone's face, his plan already beginning to take form. "Say, Rex," Fives began as he wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulder, "have you taken a look at your own self?" He pointed to Rex's chest, which had seen better days it's own self. 

Rex's face burned slightly, embarrassment rising as he furrowed his brows and straightened his back. He cleared his throat, and nibbled at his lower lip. "Ah, w-well then, I suppose there's no harm in giving my own a new coat."

Fives and Echo stifled the laughter that threatened to burst out as they saw Rex as nervous and utterly off-guard as he was. It was fun to mess around with the captain, he needed to lighten up some times after all.

Echo placed the last canister of cobalt blue paint into Rex's hands, "I guess you'll need this, then." He chuckled, and nudged Fives as he sat next to him.

Rex didn't say a single word. He just sat down with the pair, and they all began to give their armor a well deserved, crisp new paint job.

* * *

Ahsoka peered into the bunk room, her brows furrowed. What in the name of the Force were they doing? She'd never seen any of the Clones paint their armor, the designs just kind of _appeared_ . Like they manifested over night. The Togruta didn't plan on missing this for the galaxy. 

She deftly made her way across the room, making sure to stay out of Rex's sight. She noticed how intent they were on the designs. It was important to them, to their individuality, and she knew this. Ahsoka crouched behind Rex, and placed a finger to her lips in order to shut Fives and Echo up from exposing her hiding spot. 

"Don't place so much on there, Echo," Rex scolded as he swished his brush in a curving motion across his shoulder piece, "it'll be too thick, and chip off in chunks."

Fives nudged Echo, and whispered in a cheeky tone of voice. "He's only saying that because he did that on the first time." 

Echo scrunched up his face, not believing his brother's quip for a moment, "How would you know that? We were on Kamino still when he-"

"Shhh," Fives grumbled, and rolled his eyes, "you suck at getting jokes."

Ahsoka almost snickered at the Clone's banter, her hand over her mouth as she stifled the little giggle that urged her to be let out. She placed her free hand beside Rex on the chair he was sitting on for stability.

"You aren't funny, Fives." Rex growled, his face contorted into a scowl, though deep down he know his vod meant well. He turned in order to dip his brush, only to have his blood run cold at the sight of a little orange hand, right next to him. Rex yelped loudly in surprise, flinging the paint can into the air as he jolted from his seat.

The can plummeted to the ground, causing Ahsoka to lift her hands into the air to stop the metal container from crashing directly into her face. The cobalt blue paint splattered all around the floor of the room, and all over Ahsoka.

Fives and Echo snickered uncontrollably, while Rex stood as still as a stone statue, his face reddening into a deep crimson. "A-Ad'ika! Oh force, I'm so sorry." Rex scrambled to help the dripping wet Togruta from the ground.

Ahsoka did not look pleased in the slightest, and she loosely crossed her arms at Rex as Fives burst into a loud, unstoppable laughter, while Echo shook him to stop him after he caught the glare in Ahsoka's eyes.

"Yeah, I see that you're sorry, but now you gotta' pay up for getting paint on me." The short Togruta grumbled out as she eyed Rex down with a look that could make a Zygerrian cower away like a Loth kitten. 

"Eheh, y-yes, of course, ad'ika," Rex smiled sheepishly, and rubbed his arm as he looked back at Echo and Fives to shut them up, "whatever you want."

"Thank you, captain," Ahsoka placed her hands on her hips, and lifted her chin, a glob of blue dripping to the floor with a _plop,_ "now if you'll excuse me, I need to find some clean clothes." She turned, and trudged back to her quarters. Oh, Rex was so in for it when she came back. 


	2. Sweet Revenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a translation key:
> 
> Su'cuy gar: Traditional Mandalorian Greeting;' Literally, "So you're still alive!"  
> Vod: "Brother, Sister, Comrade."  
> Vod'ika: "Little Brother, Little Sister."  
> Ad'ika: "Kid, Lad, Boy, Sweetie(Non-Romantic), Darling(Non-Romantic)."

Rex sat in between the pair of Fives and Echo, sweat beading down the arch of his eyebrow as he nervously fidgeted in place while they waited for Ahsoka to return from her quarters.

"You're so dead," Fives snarked as he stifled his laughter , "little 'soka's gonna' smack you senseless!"

Echo worriedly shook his vod from across the way, trying to shush him as quickly as possible before Rex strangled them both. 

"Ha, ha," Rex growled, as he absentmindedly bounced his leg, "you're very funny, Fives. I'm sure Ahsoka will be calmer once she ret-" the clone's conversation was cut short from the sound of smaller feet padding into the room.

The Togruta hauled herself into the dorm room, paint free and with a look of sheer determination on her face. "Afternoon, boys." She called as she placed a tin of cerulean liquid onto the floor with a soft _thud_. 

"Su'cuy gar, vod'ika!" Replied Fives and Echo enthusiastically as they made room for Ahsoka.

Rex gulped. Was he about to have the same fate that little 'soka did earlier? Was he about to have himself and his armor swimming in paint? 

Ahsoka knelt beside the three clones, and popped a paintbrush into the bucket. She grinned devilishly at Rex in particular as she swished the brush around. "I told you I'd get you back." The Togruta said simply as she swirled a glob of paint onto the elder clone's face.

Scrunching up his face in discomfort and disgust at the feeling of the cold, gooey liquid on his forehead, Rex squeaked out an, "With all due respect, ad'ika, is this _really_ necessary?" He squeezed his eye shut as Ahsoka swirled more of the cold paint on his cheeks and temples. "I assumed Jedi didn't take revenge on others."

Ahsoka raised a brow at him. "Oh, no, there's nothing wrong with me getting back at you. At least, that's what Skyguy says." She turned to the other clones that had been intently watching Rex get "prettied up". "What?"

Fives spoke up, a sly grin on his face. "You're not seriously going to be painting Rex's face and _not_ take the opportunity to paint your markings on him, right?" His grin grew wider as he saw his vod'ika mull over his suggestion. Looks like she didn't think about that option after all. 

As Ahsoka carefully drew two diamond shapes onto Rex's forehead, she couldn't help but chuckle at him. He looked so sad, so sorry for what happened earlier, and if she was being honest, she felt sorry herself. "Hey," she began in a quieter, more reassuring tone of voice, "I'm not mad at you, Rex, I promise."

"Are you sure?" The tiny, almost inaudible squeak that escaped Rex's mouth almost broke the Togruta, and the two other clone's hearts. He sounded so pitiful. 

"Yeah," she replied as she began to finish up the iconic mirrored "wings" (as Hardcase saw them, anyway), on his cheeks, "I'm certain that I'm not mad at you." She leaned back, admiring her work as she asked Echo to fetch a mirror for her. 

"Awe," Fives giggled out as he covered his mouth, "you look so cute, vod!" His giggling soon bubbling into large scale laughter as he saw how utterly unamused his captain was.

Echo fumbled the mirror over to Ahsoka, and smacked Fives on the shoulder to shut him up.

"Don't you like it?" She asked as she waited for Rex to take a look at himself.

The Clone's cheeks reddened as he looked at his face. He couldn't deny that the markings were striking, but his pride was making it hard for him to admit it to his siblings. "It's- it's very.. nice. Yeah, it's nice." He coughed out as he tugged at the collar of his shirt. "Thank you, 'soka." 

Fives wasted no time in jumping in on the fun. "Ooh, ooh, me next! Please?"

Echo, along with Hardcase and Jesse- who had wandered in after hearing Fives' laughter- also piped up and asked for some Togruta face paint.

For the rest of the night, the clones, and even Ahsoka herself, enjoyed getting their faces painted. Though, of course, they'd have some explaining to do once Skywalker found them covered in blue paint..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this two-shot! No, I don't ship Rexsoka, so this isn't a ship fic. 
> 
> If you have any other ideas for short Star Wars fics, feel free to comment them!
> 
> (I'm always up to writing about the Clones/Boba Fett. Always.)


End file.
